Gun case

ABSTRACT

A gun case having an elongated rectangular shape including a base and a cover hinged to the base, both parts being made from marine plywood with an external layer of sheet Formica material. The various side and end walls forming the cover and the base are glued together while the joints are also secured through mortise and tenon arrangements. The base is partitioned into a first elongated compartment extending between the ends thereof for receiving the barrel of a gun, a second elongated compartment wider than the first for receiving the stock of the gun, and a third compartment for receiving other parts such as trigger mechanism or shells, etc. Foam padding is provided on the inside of the cover and in the compartment which receives the stock for ensuring that the latter is properly held in the case against movement when the cover is closed. A cloth lining of acrylic pile covers the interior of the case, and a felt strip is placed on the edges of the base to engage the edge of the cover when closed. An aluminum handle is provided on the front side of the base and combination latch and lock mechanisms are provided for releasably securing the cover to the base.

United States Patent 1191 I Smith I GUN CASE Samuel Smith, 3105 June St., Lake Charles, La. 70601 [22] Filed: Mar. 29, 1972 [21] Appl. No.1 239,150

[76] Inventor:

Primary E.taminerWilliam 1. Price Assistant Examiner-Steven E. Lipman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Browne, Beveridge, De- Grandi & Kline 1451 May 21, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A gun case having an elongated rectangular shape including a base and a cover hinged to the base, both parts being made from marine plywood with an external layer of sheet Formica material. The various side and end walls forming the cover and the base are glued together while the joints are also secured through mortise and tenon arrangements. The base is partitioned into a first elongated compartment extending between the ends thereof for receiving the barrel of a gun, a second elongated compartment wider than the first for receiving the stock of the gun, and a third compartment for receiving other parts such as trigger mechanism or shells, etc. Foam padding is provided on the inside of the cover and in the compartment which receives the stock-for ensuring that the latter is properly held in the case against movement when the cover is closed. A cloth lining of acrylic pile covers the interior of the case, and a felt strip is placed on the edges of the base to engage the edge of the cover when closed. An aluminum handle is'provided on the front side of the base and combination latch and lock mechanisms are provided for releasably securing the coverto the base.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDIAYZI m4 3, 81 1; 562

SHEEI 2 BF 2 FIG. 2

FIG. 3

GUN CASE OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION thereof despite shocks that may be imparted to the I case.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gun case having a novel construction which is very strong and weather resistant and moreover will house a gun in a substantially air-tight manner. Included herein is the provision of such a gun case construction which may be manufactured to contain a highly pleasing aesthetic appearance.

A further object of the present invention is to provide such a gun case wherein the various parts of a gun may be easily inserted and subsequently removed for use and while furthermore having a balanced construction facilitating hand carrying.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A gun case constituting an embodiment of the invention includes an elongated rectangular base and cover each of which includes opposite parallel side and end walls; with the cover being hinged to the base for movement between open and closed positions through an elongated piano hinge. The walls of the base and cover are made from five-ply of an inch marine plywood with 1/16th of an inch sheet Formica mounted to the outer surfaces thereof to form the external surface portions of the gun case. The walls of the cover and base are bonded to each other through a suitable glue or adhesive while the corner joints therebetween are further secured through morise and tenon members.

The interior of the'base is divided into three compartments, one compartment being elongated and extending between the opposite ends thereof for receiving the barrel of a gun, the second compartment being elongated and extending parallel to the first compartment but being wider and terminating short of one end of the case for receiving the stock of the gun, and the third compartment being situatedbetween the second compartment and said one end of the case to one side of the first compartment for receiving other parts such as a trigger mechanism or shells, etc. The depth of the first and third compartments extends substantially throughout the depth of the base, however, the depth of the second compartment which receives the gun stock is much less, as there is a rectangular foam pad inserted therein. A rectangular foam pad is also secured on the inside of the cover so that when closed, the gun stock case will be snugly engaged by overlying portions of the foam pads to ensure proper positioning of the parts against movement in the case. The internal surfaces of the cover and base are covered by a cloth lining such as an acrylic pile, and alfeltstrip is attached to the edge of the base to render the interior of the case airtight as well as to soften any shock of closing the cover on the base.

The case is carried and manipulated through a handle made from aluminum plate with finished wood strips mounted opposite sides thereof; the handle being mounted to the front wall of the base. A pair of combination latch and lock mechanisms are provided on the front wall of the base and cover to releasably secure the cover on the base in closed position. Additionally the bottom wall of the base is provided with small projections to enable the case to be placed on a surface but slightly raised therefrom in a horizontal plane.

DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description taken in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a gun case embodying the invention shown with its cover ,in open position;

FIG. lais an enlarged detailed view of a joint formed in the gun case;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the gun case;

FIG. 3 is a' cross sectional view taken generally along lines 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken generally along lines 44 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings in detail there is shown in FIG. 1 for illustration purposes only, a gun case embodying the present invention and basically including a base generally designated 10, a cover generally designated 12 attached to the base for pivotal movement between open and closed positions by means of an elongated piano hinge 14 extending substantially throughout the longitudinal dimensions of the base cover. As shown in the drawings, base 10 has an elongated generally rectangular box-like configuration including a rectangular bottom panel wall 16 with opposite and parallel side walls 18 and 20 and end walls 22 perpendicularly upstanding from the base to define a space for receiving articles.

In accordance with one of the features of the present invention the base walls are made from marine plywood preferably five-ply of an inch marine plywood. The upstanding walls 18, 20, 22 are secured to the base by means of a suitable adhesive such as Weldwood glue manufactured by U. S. Plywood Corporation. Additionally the corner joints formed between sidewalls l8 and the end walls 22 areformed with mortises and'tenons as illustrated in FIG. la. In the preferred embodiment the innermost ply or layer of the walls are formed with a tenon to be received in an associated mortise in the adjoining wall. Thus in forming the joint between end wall 22 and sidewall 18 of the base shown in FIG. la, the innermost layer 220 of end wall 22 is formed with a tenon 24 received in a mortise formed transversely in the innermost layer 18a of sidewall 18. The joints are further secured through the use of an adhesive such as Resinol adhesive made by U. S. Plywood Corporation. In accordance with another feature of the invention, the outer surface of the gun case is formed by a sheet of hard laminate material preferably that marketed under the trademark Formica. Thus each of the walls of the base has bonded to the outer surface I thereof sheets of Formica designated 30 in the drawings. The Formica sheets are preferably approximately 1/ 16th of an inch in thickness and may contain a suitable design such as a wood grain as illustrated in the drawings. Additionally, it is preferred that a wax finish be applied to the Formica sheets 30 to enhance the appearance as well as to preserve the surface thereof.

The cover 12 also has a generally rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of base 10, the cover including a flat horizontal rectangular top wall 50 with depending sidewalls 52, 54 and an end wall 56 as shown in the drawings. The walls of cover 12 are formed from the same marine plywood material as the base with the same mortise and tenon joints and Formica covering described above. In the shown embodiment, the depth of the cover sidewall 54 is less than that of the base, however, the over-all outside cross dimensions of the cover are generally the same as the base so that when the cover is in closed position the surfaces of the cover walls lie generally in the same planes as the surfaces of the base walls as shown in the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, base is subdivided by partitions 32, 34 to form three compartments 36, 38, 40. Partition 32 extends between opposite end walls 22 of base 10 and includes a lower portion 32a shown in FIG. 3 which may be also made from the same marine plywood as the walls of the base; and an upper portion 32!) secured such as through brads to the lower portion 32a. Upper portion 32b is made from a suitable wood preferably with a stained finish and moreover is smoothly rounded as shown to avoid sharp edges and to enhance its appearance. Partition 32 isspaced from the front wall 18 of the base 10 and parallel thereto to define the elongated compartment 36 for receiving the barrel of a gun.

Partition 34 which has the same construction as partition 32 extends transversely of the base between an intermediate portion of partition 32 and the back wall of the base as shown in FIG. 1 to form a second elongated compartment 38 for receiving the stock of a locks and themselves form no part of the present invention.

The gun case is hand carried through means ofa handle including a generally U-shaped plate 80 preferably made from aluminum having its opposite ends pivotally mounted in lugs 82 also formed from aluminum and secured to the front wall 18 of the base. Additionally, finished wood strips 84 are bonded to the opposite sides of handle plate 80 as shown in FIG. 1.

In order to render the interior of the gun case airtight when cover 12 is in closed position, a seal is provided about the upper edge of the side and end walls of the base. In the preferred embodiment, the seal is provided by felt strips 90 which are /8 of an inch in thickness and secured such as by bonding to the upper edge surfaces of the side and end walls of base 10. Additionally, in order to allow the gun case to be placed on a surface but slightly raised therefrom in a horizontal position, four wooden feet 92 shown as cylindrical in shape are secured.

In one commercial form of the gun case of the present invention, the barrel compartment 36 is approximately 29 inches in length, 2 inches in width, and 2 inches in depth while the stock compartment 38 is approximately 21 inches in length, 5 /2 inches in width gun, and third compartment 40 for receiving other parts such as a trigger mechanism, shells, etc. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the depth of compartments 36, 40 cxtends from the top of partitions 32, 34 to the bottom wall 16 of base 12. However, the depth of compartment 38 is much less since a rectangular pad preferably made from a polyurethane foam illustrated as 42 in the draw-. lngs is suitably attached to the bottom portion of subcompartment 38 in accordance with another feature of the invention. The interior surfaces of base 10 are covered by a lining preferably an acrylic pile 48 which extends over all-of the interior surfaces of the base with the exception of the upper rounded wooden portions of partitions 32, 34.

A similar foam pad 60 is secured on the inside of cover 12 where it extends completely throughout the space defined by cover walls 50, 52, 54, 56. Foam pad 60 also extends substantially throughout the depth of cover end walls 52, 54, 56 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In this manner when the gun stock is placed in compartment 38 and the cover 12 closed, foam pads42, 60 will tightly engage the opposite portions of the stock to secure the same in position against movement. Additionally as in the base, the interior of the surface of cover 12 is lined with an acrylic pile 62 which extends and completely covers pad 60.

In order to releasably secure the cover to the base in enclosed position, combination latch and lock mechanisms 70, 72 are provided on the front walls 18, 52 of the base cover. respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. Latch and lock mechanisms 70, 72 may be standard commercial mechanisms preferably including combination and A of an inch in depth. Compartment 40 in this embodiment, is approximately eight inches in length and 5 /2 inches in width with a depth of approximately two inches.

What is claimed is':

1. As a product of manufacture, a hand case for carrying articles such as guns, the case comprising: a base having upstanding opposite side walls and end walls dcfining a compartment for receiving a gun said base includinga flat bottom wall having a plurality of projections extending externally thereof for positioning the case spaced from a surface in a horizontal plane, a

cover for closing the compartment, said base, walls and cover defining a generally'rcctangular configuration, hinge means hinging the cover to the base for movement between open and closed positions opening and closing the compartment, the base, cover and side and end walls all being made from five ply marine plywood with a sheet of hard laminate Formica material bonded to the outer surfaces thereof to form the outer surfaces of the case, said side and end walls having mortise and tenon joints on the innermost ply of the plywood walls interconnecting the same at each of the corners thereof, partition means in the compartment defining a first elongated sub-compartment extending between the opposite end walls forreceiving a barrel of a gun, a second sub-compartment extending parallel to the first compartment for receiving the stock of a gun, said second compartment having in the bottom thereof a resilient and flexible foam pad extending substantially throughout, and a third subcompartment between one end of said second sub-compartment and the end of said case and mom side of said first sub-compartment, said cover having a foam pad secured throughout the underside thereof to overlie the foam pad in said second compartment, a layer of acrylic pile material overlying the intemal portions of said compartment and cover including said partition means and said foam pads, an aluminum plate handle with finished wood strips attached to the opposite sides of said plate on one of said side wall opposite the side wall containing the hinge means, a strip of felt material attached to the upper edges of said one side wall and the opposite end walls to establish a seal with the cover when the latter is closed, and latch means on said one side wall which contains the handle for releasably securing said cover to said base. 

1. As a product of manufacture, a hand case for carrying articles such as guns, the case comprising: a base having upstanding opposite side walls and end walls defining a compartment for receiving a gun said base including a flat bottom wall having a plurality of projections extending externally thereof for positioning the case spaced from a surface in a horizontal plane, a cover for closing the compartment, said base, walls and cover defining a generally rectangular configuration, hinge means hinging the cover to the base for movement between open and closed positions opening and closing the compartment, the base, cover and side and end walls all being made from five ply marine plywood with a sheet of hard laminate Formica material bonded to the outer surfaces thereof to form the outer surfaces of the case, said side and end walls having mortise and tenon joints on the innermost ply of the plywood walls interconnecting the same at each of the corners thereof, partition means in the compartment defining a first elongated sub-compartment extending between the opposite end walls for receiving a barrel of a gun, a second sub-compartment extending parallel to the first compartment for receiving the stock of a gun, said second compartment having in the bottom thereof a resilient and flexible foam pad extending substantially throughout, and a third subcompartment between one end of said second sub-compartment and the end of said case and to one side of said first subcompartment, said cover having a foam pad secured throughout the underside thereof to overlie the foam pad in said second compartment, a layer of acrylic pile material overlying the internal portions of said compartment and cover including said partition means and said foam pads, an aluminum plate handle with finished wood strips attached to the opposite sides of said plate on one of said side wall opposite the side wall containing the hinge means, a strip of felt material attached to the upper edges of said one side wall and the opposite end walls to establish a seal with the cover when the latter is closed, and latch means on said one side wall which contains the handle for releasably securing said cover to said base. 